Alhaj Md Rezaul Karim Heera, Minister for Land, inaugurates a branch of Bangladesh Krishi Bank at Tulshipur Bazar in Jamalpur recently.

Bangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB) opened its 991st branch at Tulshipur Bazar in Jamalpur recently.

Alhaj Md Rezaul Karim Heera, Minister for Land, formally inaugurated the branch, said a press release.

Md Abdus Salam, FCA, attended the function as the special guest while SM Shamsul Alam, General Manager of Mymenshingh Division, presided over the programme.

News: The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/5th-Dec-12

Md. Shirajul Islam Mollah, Chairman of Prime Bank Limited, inaugurates the 128th branch of the bank at Shibpur in Narsingdi recently.

Prime Bank Limited opened its 128th branch at Shibpur in Narsingdi recently.

Md. Shirajul Islam Mollah, Chairman of the bank inaugurated the branch as the chief guest, said a press release Tuesday.

Md. Ehsan Khasru, Managing Director and CEO of the bank presided over the function while Deputy Managing Director Kanti Kumar Saha delivered welcome speech.

News: The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/5th-Dec-12

Shahjalal Islami Bank Limited organised the 510th meeting of the Executive Committee (EC) of the bank at the bank’s head office Monday.

Alhaj Mohammad Hasan, Chairman of the EC of the bank presided over the meeting, said a press release Tuesday.

News: The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/5th-Dec-12

 Bangladesh Bank is scrutinising CIB (Credit Information Bureau) reports on the sponsor directors of the new five banks awaiting final clearance from the central bank for starting operation, BB sources said.

At the same time, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) is examining whether taxes are paid of Tk 4 billion deposited by each bank with BB as paid-up capital for having the licence.

The five banks are South Bangla Agricultural and Commerce Bank (SM Amzad Hossain), Midland Bank (M Moniruzzaman Khandker), Union Bank (former President H M Ershad), Meghna Bank (H N Ashiqur Rahman MP) and NRB Bank (Farasat Ali).

A senior BB official told BSS the central bank has been investigating whether there is any default loan in the name of sponsor directors.

News: The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/5th-Dec-12

In this December 1 photo, a World Bank team arrives at Anti-Corruption Commission's head office in the capital to hold a meeting on the anti-graft body's progress in investigations into the Padma bridge project corruption.

The meeting between the visiting external panel of the World Bank and the Anti-Corruption Commission ended Wednesday without any breakthrough.

The WB panel today sat with the graft watchdog twice to reach a consensus on the names of persons to be included in the enquiry report on corruption allegations in the Padma bridge project.

After completing the talks with the ACC at its office at Shegunbagicha, the WB panel left for the airport.

Before leaving the ACC office at 6:35pm, the head of the external panel former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Luis Moreno Ocampo said, “The panel appreciate the open and frank discussion with the ACC.”

Earlier in the afternoon, the team held a meeting with the anti-graft body and left its office.

Ellen Goldstein, WB country director for Bangladesh, told the media, “We continue to have some unresolved issues and as a result we are going for some internal consultations now.”

“It is possible that we will be coming back today for further discussions,” Goldstein added.

After leaving the ACC office, the team met with the Finance Minister AMA Muhith at his residence.

Later they returned to the ACC around 6:35pm for further discussions.

The meeting between the WB team and the graft watchdog ended inconclusively on Tuesday, as the panel was unhappy at the commission's bid to drop the name of ex-communications minister Syed Abul Hossain from the draft enquiry report.

Sources in the ACC said the two sides had a difference of opinion over the draft enquiry report, as the ACC dropped some names, including that of Abul Hossain, though the WB gave sufficient evidence of corruption against him along with others.

External team arrived in Dhaka for the second time on December 1 and started talks with the ACC from the next day to know the progress the anti-graft watchdog made in investigating the evidence of corruption in the Padma bridge project.

Earlier the external panel came to Dhaka on October 14 for the first time.

The original $1.2 billion WB credit for the bridge was cancelled on June 29 due to an insufficient response by Bangladeshi authorities to evidence of a conspiracy of corruption involving senior public officials.

Subsequently, additional actions were undertaken, and on September 20 the government agreed to go by four conditions that also include proper investigation into the allegations.

News: The Daily Star/Bangladesh/5th-Dec-12